Story of Bhakti Devi and the First Sapthaham

 

SIGNIFICANCE OF SAPTHAHAM AND BHAGAVATHA MAHATMYAM

Don’t we all long for that permanence and the eternal silence and a stillness? Or do we long to continue in this noisy world where our monkey brains are in constant chatter? That’s the only choice we need to make. But this is an entirely personal statement.

We had a solid Guru-Sishya (teacher-student) Parampara (lineage), a samskara (tradition) that encouraged even the Sishyas to start their own ashramas. To take the Bhagavatham itself as an example, it was handed down from Bhagwan®Lord Brahma®Sage Narada®Vyasa Deva®Sukha Maharshi®King Pareekshit and Sutha Rishi®Sanakadhi Rishis

Bhagawatham/Bhagavatha dharma literally means anything that is related to Bhagwan, that includes everything that ever existed. Bhagavatham was retold by Sree Suka Maharishi to King Parikshit over a period of 7 days. The tradition of reading the Bhagavatham over a period of 7 days continues to this day and is known as the Bhagavatha Sapthaham. It’s also considered as a Yagna with Ishwara pooja, danam, sat samagamam, and sahakarnam (cooperation or an order) going hand in hand. Sapthaha sampradayam/tradition was set by Sanakadi rishis.

The legend goes to say that Sree Sukha Maharishi stayed 12 years in womb of his mother and as soon as he was born, he walked away. His father Veda Vyasa kept calling out to him. The trees and birds responded to this call. Veda Vyasa understood that his son was a Jeevan mukta and from putra-bhava/sonship, Vyasa Deva accepted him as his guru.

Sukha Maharshi calls this Bhagavatham as a Sastra and not a Purana; Sastram=in this moment what you can experience--comes from the word shraddha. (Shasanal Thrayathe iti Sastram) Our way of thinking is based on believes, but Shradha comes from knowledge. God belief itself is a doubtful bhakti. Anubhavam/experience is what is sastram, that is your satyam. Whatever happens I have Bhagwan with me that is the trust “Ishwara Pranidhana.”

Gods came to Sree Sukha Rishi with Amrutham (loosely translates to ambrosia), under the leadership of Lord Indra, and sought to exchange the amrutham for Pareekshit in return for Bhagavatham. Sree Sukha did not see the deep inclination in Devas to know more, so he refused saying that Bhagavatham was worth more than any Amrutham.

When Parikshit got the enlightened even Brahma wondered what was so special about this Kriti. He brought a scale and on one side he kept the Bhagavatham and on the other side all the other books. Bhagavatham was still the heavier one.

STORY OF BHAKTI DEVI AND THE FIRST SAPTHAHAM

Narada came for a tour to Bhoomi/earth and travelled many places, but was sad with the negativity which he saw around, where there was no satyam/truth, no daya or karuna/empathy, sympathy. The only karma people did was eating and sleeping. Budhi/intellect was being used for all the wrong reasons. Ashrams had lost the serenity/purity, Theerthas/holy places had become a commercial hub, villages lost the village culture, and not many Siddhas and Sanyasis were around.

When he reached Vrindavana, he came across a curious/strange sight. On the banks of river Yamuna sat a tired young lady and beside her were 2 old men who were struggling to breathe. She was crying while taking care of them, many ladies were serving them. He approached her and she was relieved to see Narada Muni, for she knew that he could help. Narada Muni asked her as to who she was and who were the old people, and what had happened to cause her this Dukkha/woe.

The lady introduces herself as Bhakti Devi, and the old men as her kids are Gyanam and Vairagyam, and all the ladies were the Theerthas, like Ganga Devi, Yamuna Devi and so on. She goes on to talk about herself. She was born in the Dravida Desam, growing up and after having children travelled up north and reached Gujarat where impact of Kali was at the highest, there all of them became frail and weak. They further travelled north till they reached Vrindavan, where she got younger, but her sons were aging further. She tells Narada that she was lucky and relieved to have the honor of his presence because he was known to have helped bhaktas like Prahlada and Dhruva and had guided them in their path.

So, Narada muni tried waking them up as they were unconscious, he chanted Veda Mantram and other mantras into their ears but there was no response, but when he chanted the Bhagawath Geeta they opened their eyes a little. When he was almost going to give up the inner voice in Narada Muni told him not to give up as there was a higher purpose awaiting that’s beyond all this and asked him to do a Shrestha/superior karma and that will be the solution. But it did not give any further clue or details as to what the Shreshta karma was.

Narada Muni went around searching and seeking and finally at Badrikashrama he met the Sanakadhi rishis who asked him as to what had happened to his brilliance that seemed to have dimmed. After he explained about Bhakti devi, they told him to hold a Gyana Yagna of Bhagavath Parayanam. There are many types of yagna Tapoyagnam, Dravya yagnam, Yoga yagnam but the kids need the Gyana Yagnam. The sanakathi Maharishi told Narada that the wisdom he imparted to Veda vyasa was very same thing needed here. Ganga Dwaram (present day Haridwar) became the seat for the first Sapthaham. Great Rishis and Acharyas like Vashishta, Gauthama, Vaishnamya, Parasurama, Dadetreya were said have attended this yagna. Bhakti Devi came rejoicing in dancing and singing “Shree Krishna Govind hare Murare hey natha Narayana Vasusdeva.”

Bhakthi devi approached them and thanked them and asked them as to what service she could offer. With Narada as their witness Sanakadhi rishis told her to stay in the heart of Bhaktas who do Nama Sankeerthanam, those who listen or read the Bhagavatha purana. And it’s said that since then, Bhakti Devi and her sons reside in the bhakta’s heart/mind.

We all have bhakthi or else why would we go seeking Satsangs and the temples, and we know that there is something missing and that’s exactly what we are seeking.

WHY IS BHAGAVATHAM SO IMPORTANT

Sootha Rishi says

When Bhagwan ready to leave this physical realm, Udhawa his lifelong friend was very upset and couldn’t believe that Bhagwan was going away without him. Here, Bhagwan gives a beautiful Upadesha known as Udhava Geeta. It helped Udhava understand his dharma. He then asked Bhagwan impart knowledge as to how to find fight the impact of Kali for all the people who are going to be born in the Kali yuga, especially the Bhakta Janas.

Bhagwan took a form, to awaken the Bhakta Janas from Aviveka to Viveka in his birth as Shree Krishna. Udhava asks Bhagwan what will to happen to the people who will find it hard to comprehend and understand his Nirguna Bhavam (beyond Guna), especially with the onset of the Kali yuga. With your Viyogam/separation it will be hard for them to understand anything.

Bhagwan says that the Mind will be stuck in Namam and Roopam, but Samkeernam and Satsangam will take them forward in the path of Bhakti. Bhagwan pauses for a second and replies that his Tejas (vital power/spirit) will be merged (layam) into the Bhagavatha Puranam and alone will be enough for withstanding the malefic effect of Kali and ample through in bhakti.

Udhava asks again as to who would be worthy of listening to Bhagavatham, and Bhagwan says everyone, even people one brands as notorious or evil. All are deserving, this listening in fact would refine them too. Sanakadhi Maharshi tells a story, of GOKARNA.